India: Urban Development Ministry to release smart cities’ plan

The Modi Government’s flagship ‘smart cities’ scheme will be rolled out from next month, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Monday.

“The Government is in an advanced stage of consultations, which will be over by the end of this month. Next month, we will roll out the much awaited scheme,” Naidu said at the National Symposium on Sustainable Smart Cities here.

The Ministry had about four rounds of consultations with States, talks with 15 foreign countries such as US, Barcelona, Japan, and Singapore, among others.

Naidu said necessary approvals for the scheme will be competed by this month and action on the ground can then begin.

Smart cities, which will be developed on the PPP model, would incorporate measures such as LED lighting, rainwater harvesting, solid waste management, green buildings, and more metro rail, among others.